In conventional practice, structures containing carriages capable of traveling along fixed routes while being supported and guided by rail devices, with hanger devices provided in pendant form to the carriages, have been proposed as conveyance apparatus (for example, as conveyance apparatus for use in painting lines). In such apparatus, transport objects are conveyed along fixed routes by the movement of carriages on which these transport objects are supported by the rail devices. Paint solution tanks are provided at prescribed positions along the fixed routes; the transport objects being conveyed are introduced (dipped) into the paint solution, with the route sections corresponding to these paint solution tanks considered as “down” route sections; and the objects are thus coated by electrodeposition.
With such conventional structures, the transport objects are gradually introduced into the paint solution while the carriages are moving, and the transport objects are then gradually lifted from the paint solution while the carriages are still moving. In other words, the transport objects are displaced in the vertical direction together with the carriages while the carriages are moving, with the result that the paint solution tanks are designed as long and bulky structures with consideration for the travel distances needed for introducing and removing the transport objects. In addition, the transport objects being lifted fail to completely shed excess paint solution, drip this solution when conveyed to the next step, and contaminate the environment.